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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29200377">Titles are hard but Krieger is harder~</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TurnMeToStone/pseuds/TurnMeToStone'>TurnMeToStone</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Archer (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, F/M, Kidnapping, Mildly Dubious Consent, Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:54:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,337</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29200377</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TurnMeToStone/pseuds/TurnMeToStone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Krieger goes into rut at work. While coming home, he assumed he'd be alone for yet another cycle.</p>
<p>...He knows he's weird and he gets that he's usually not what most people think of when they think 'life partner', ok?</p>
<p>That sort of changes when he runs into a strange woman as he's headed home, and triggers her heat cycle.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ali Krieger/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Titles are hard but Krieger is harder~</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Algernop Krieger wasn't stupid.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>By all means, most would consider him extremely intelligent. Inventing things on the fly, coming up with solutions no one else ever thought of, doing things no one could even fathom being possible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No, it wasn't that he was intelligent. It was that, regardless of his best efforts, his iron self control, he couldn't stop or stem the tide of his own biology. Oh, but he had tried, and should have succeeded-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And yet-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And yet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Here he was, gripping the edge of one of his lab tables to the point that his fingers dug into the smooth metal surface, the strength of his white knuckled fingers rarely ever displayed in their fullest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krieger's pheromones were ramping up, too. Almost a tangible wave of scent billowing out from him, trying to attract a suitable - read: any - mate. His green eyes blazed with an internal fire that was scorching him from the inside-out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rut.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fuck.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Fuck</em>!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He'd forgotten all about it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krieger groans, dropping his forehead to the mangled table's cool surface. He needed to leave the building. Had to go home. Get to his nest, defend his territory, and jack himself raw.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Much as his instincts were screaming at him to find, take, mate with an omega, he doubted any would be interested in him post-rut. He could admit that he was weird, even creepy, and most likely insane, and none of that made him an ideal mate. Especially when he preferred brain over brawn when he could get away with it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not that he had trouble with brawn, per se. His poor table could attest to that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Still, not what one would traditionally call an ideal mate.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Fuckfuckfuck</em>!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krieger straightens back up and forces himself to release the table, to go and grab his things, and head for the door.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luckily, the only omegas in the organization were either on a level he didn't have access to without going out of his way, or were out on missions, and so he sighed with relief as he managed to enter the elevator without issue.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He almost made it to his van before shit went a little wild.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now, an Alpha exudes pheromones during rut when they're looking for a mate. Omegas did the same during their heat. Now, an alpha or omega during these times can trigger a heat or rut in their partner by close proximity, which replaces their regularly scheduled program. Hence, mated pairs would slowly sync up over the course of their mating cycles, leading to increased fertility.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>An Alpha and Omega during these cycles, if both are on the same level, have been known to lose their fucking minds around each other, especially in unbonded pairs. Usually if the scents are right for each other, that is. If not, they move on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But it's considered a sign of compatibility the quicker your cycles match up, and the quicker they begin to hit their maximum strength for potency.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, that being said, Krieger was NOT expecting that when he runs into a fairly petite woman as he's walking out of the ISIS building, that the urges ramp up, and she immediately responds.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They stare at each other for a mere second, before she coughs, "Your place or mine? Probably yours, since you're pretty deep into rut, but it never hurts to ask."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krieger stares at her, the words <em>mateyesmineminemine</em> running through his brain, before bodily picking her up and taking her to his van.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her yelp of surprise doesn't faze him, and soon enough, they're on their way to his home. His driving normally wasn't particularly cautious, but now that he had something to protect, to keep away from other alphas, well. Somewhere in the back of his mind he realized he was going to need to scan ctv footage throughout the city to avoid being fined.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oddly, he didn't much care.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"So, what's your name? Kinda wanna know so I'm not screaming out 'hey you'." The omega grins at him, shifting uncomfortably in her seat, and he belatedly realized that his van was going to smell like her for ages unless he had the van detailed. His rut mind said never, but his logical side said that several alphas frequently rode with him, so it wasn't logical to tempt them with his omega.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Algernop Krieger," he offers, a little gruffly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her head tilted, "Mm alright. I'm Ivy Callahan."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Ivy..." Krieger tests out the name, rolling it on his tongue, and smirks when it works very well indeed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That she shivers when he says her name makes his possessive side growl appreciatively.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It doesn't take him much time at all to get to his lair, even if the drive felt like a small eternity. Still, he throws the van into park and hops out, going around to the passenger side door and opening it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You've rendered my legs very jelly-like. Give a girl a hand?" Ivy gives him a wicked grin, and the growl that he'd unconsciously been emitting since he met her amped up a notch- or, well. Some cross between a growl and a purr.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He picks her up - carrying bodies and his own innate alpha strength made the task laughably easy - and fireman carries her into his nest. The sound of her laughter, which might have felt mocking outside of his rut, just spurred him on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krieger wanted very much to hear that laughter in other circumstances.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>---</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Much later, he blinks awake. He never really had that period of disorientation between sleeping and waking, although the absolute exhaustion that was settled in his frame certainly tried its best to fuck with his normal acuteness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A low purr emits from him as he registers the omega - Ivy - pressed close against his chest, still slumbering without much care for anything. I did this, he thinks, pleased with himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her shoulders and neck were littered with bites and bruises, as were her hips and ass, and she absolutely reeked of his scent. If he had to guess, his rut-brain insisted on rubbing his cum into her skin whenever and where ever possible. His head drops against the pillow, feeling himself harden at that thought, and the following thought of <em>and she let him do it</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krieger only remembered certain flashes from the most likely several day long event. Most of which were during the break periods, but it counted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of him feeding her- he had an entire stock of heat specific snacks, although he never assumed he'd fund a partner for them. It was usually just for himself, but he was glad for his preparedness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of her cleaning them up while he watched like a hawk- how she managed to change the sheets and keep him from panicking seemed like a minor super power. She spoke so calmly, let him plaster himself against her back, let him prowl around the room like a caged animal, as if understanding he was making sure no other people intruded on them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of her begging him for more, and for the first time in his life, he'd been able to unleash his full strength and stamina on a partner. The idea was exhilarating and novel, as he'd never gone past the 50% mark before. At least, not with a human partner. Not only that, but she seemed to egg him on about it, somehow sensing that he was pulling his punches so to speak.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of him knotting her and being unable to resist the urge to bite her, to make her his forever. The resulting orgasm was stronger for both of them than he'd ever have imagined.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krieger's eyes snap open, and he swivels his head to look at the now-extremely obvious mating mark around her bonding glands.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fuck.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Algernop Krieger wasn't stupid. But for the first time in his life, he honestly felt like it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You know, you think too loudly for someone that has to be mostly fucked out," Ivy's sleep- and scream-rough voice grumbles at him, and she turns in his arms to bury her face against his chest. He gets a glimpse of genuinely golden eyes as he wraps around her for both protection and comfort. "What's wrong?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krieger swallows, "We bonded."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I know. It's not that big of a deal."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He blinks down at her, "How so?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her hand reaches up, and traces a spot on his neck, and he hisses as both pain and pleasure arcs across his skin and straight to his cock. "It was mutual. Plus, let's be fair here, you're probably the best lay I've had. Which maybe isn't the best start to a lifetime relationship, but yknow what, I can work with it."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His inner alpha was conflicted about demanding to know who else touched her - so he could kill them for their audacity - and pleased about her appreciation for his supposed prowess.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I suppose you're right. I... wasn't expecting this to happen."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She snorts, "Because everyone meets their match and mates them same-day?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Fair point."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They lapse into silence for a few minutes, before she shifts against him, "You still think too much. Given how hard you are, you'd think you'd wanna deal with that as soon as possible."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He takes stock of himself before conceding the point, "I guess I'm just used to ignoring it."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Stop ignoring it. I'm horny, you're horny, and we're at the end of our cycles. Maybe after you can order Chinese. I have no idea what the address of this place is." She nips at his shoulder, and rolls on top of him to straddle his hips.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He moans a little, his hands wrapping around her waist fairly easily, and smirks up at her, "For such a tiny little thing, you're quite demanding."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her eyes sparkle with mischief, "Given how you're reacting, now that you're not fully in your rut, I'm gonna say you're into it."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Maaaaybe."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>---</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A day later, Ivy is sitting at his small kitchen table - he had to clear off all of the blueprints and half-cocked prototypes of things, and thoroughly scrub it just in case, to which she merely raised an eyebrow - and they're eating some sort of pasta dish she had managed to throw together from what little real food he had in his cabinets.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It might have been the best tasting food he'd eaten in his life, but he'd not have noticed or cared.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ivy was apparently a computer programming genius. She considered herself to be pretty adept at hacking, too, but primarily she created AIs and security systems for anyone who could pay her fees.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She was also able to understand and actually ask intelligent questions about the projects she saw littering his home, and offer insight and solutions to some of the issues preventing them from behaving as he'd liked, if they worked at all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>All in all, the more he talked to her, the more he firmly believed that they could build a happy relationship together.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>---</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The end of their cycle marks the time in which she had to go home.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krieger's alpha side was adamant about keeping her close - bonded or not, there were sick people out there, he should know since he had been one of them. But his logical brain said that she wasn't  house-wife material, nor did he want such a thing, and besides. She couldn't constantly wear his sweats and band t-shirts, even if she gave him a <em>rush</em> every time he saw her in one.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Even if he could afford to buy a new wardrobe for her, it didn't make sense to him to keep her locked away.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Still, they exchanged numbers, and maybe he had put a small tracking device in the lining of her bag when she slept, but he tries to assure himself it's just a precaution. Better safe than sorry.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ivy leaves via a cab, kissing him roughly in just the way he liked, and smirked, telling him that she'd see him soonish. Had a couple 'security' jobs she needed to finish, and she'd be back by the end of the week.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As Krieger watches her leave, his skin crawls at the idea of waiting, but he had to be patient. If he wanted her as enthralled by him as he was of her, he needed to let her have her space and let her decide when to see him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It wasn't like he couldn't text her whenever he wanted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>---</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then, Krieger had to go to work again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mallory understood the issues of rut - she and her son were both Alphas, after all, and had numerous witnesses and his leftover pheromones in the office to prove why he needed to leave and remain gone for half a week - and so didn't berate him at all for it. Just sniffed in irritation at him, and went back to her office to do... whatever it was that she did.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The table he had ruined before was gone, replaced by a new one, and internally he made a note to track it down so he could save his hand imprints. Best not let those fall in the wrong hands.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Archer, naturally, breezes into his lab. "Hey, buddy. Heard you went into rut at work. Rough stuff."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krieger grunts, non-committal.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Ruts without a partner must suck. You ok?" The agent asked, sliding into one of the rolling chairs nearby Krieger's desk. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The scientist frowns at him. Does he not smell that his scent had changed? Mixed with Ivy's? "They are."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Should have called me. I coulda hooked you up with my rut service." Archer says sympathetically.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I didn't need it this time 'round."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Wha- you found a heat partner?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Don't sound so surprised."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Archer clears his throat, "Well, I mean, I assumed you'd have used a robot or that hologram of yours to, yknow." He waves a hand at Krieger, who scoffs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Robots don't really hold scent properly, and I can't actually touch a hologram." He makes a mental note to scrub her programming so she became an assistant rather than a girlfriend. Annoying, but necessary.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I suppose. Who's the lucky omega?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krieger weighs the pros and cons of telling the other man, before conceding, "Her name is Ivy. Ivy Callahan."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Archer blinks at him, "You- how? Her?" He moves to the nearest computer and types something in, and suddenly there's a picture of his mate on the screen. "This Ivy Callahan?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yes?" Krieger says in confusion, focusing his efforts on not popping a boner over what was probably nothing more than a standard dossier photograph. Next thing he'll know is that he's getting stiff if she shows her ankles, and he isn't that hard up yet. "I met her as I was leaving the building."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Mother hired her to build us a database security system that actually works, and Callahan never showed up to their meeting. I've gotta tell mother that you kidnapped our techie." Archer snickered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Didn't kidnap her..." Krieger growled. Just because he came off in a certain way did not mean that he's incapable of convincing a woman to fuck him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Oh, I know. She's more than capable of turning you inside out if she wasn't interested." He says, and clicks on her dossier. "Read that and you'll understand why. Don't worry, I'll cover for you."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And with that, the agent left the lab, whistling to his favorite Danger Zone song.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>---</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Spec. Ops.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>High-ranking sniper.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Expert at hand-to-hand combat in eight different disciplines.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>400+ confirmed kills.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Honorable discharge.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Infamous hacker.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Recent transition into Digital Security Specialist.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Secondary Gender Unknown.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No recorded living family.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Current location: unknown.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>IQ Score: 215</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owns multiple patents, both in domestic and military categories.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>---</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krieger sits back with a sigh. "I literally cannot get more aroused."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He pulls out his phone, and messages Ivy. <em>I'm horny. This sucks</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her response is quick. <em>Text me after you're finished at work. I'll send you the address</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He growls a little, grin wide and wicked. <em>Can I just leave now?</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Dork. I'm working with my clients to reschedule their consultations. Be mighty hard to explain why I'm moaning over a phone call about firewalls.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krieger groans and leans back in his chair a bit. <em>Fine, fine. Want me to pick up takeout?</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Sure. Whatever you want will be fine. Expect for it to get cold though.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>On it.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>---</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A few weeks later, Ivy was essentially living with him, having moved most of her stuff into one of his many spare rooms and seemed to have set up her own lab space there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If it had been anyone else, he'd have balked at the notion that he'd be ok with someone in his territory. However, she merged seamlessly into his life, and the idea of her being anywhere but by his side, sleeping in his bed, eating in his kitchen, just felt so wrong.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Today when he exited his bedroom - he really needed to start thinking in <em>their</em> rather than <em>his</em> - she was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping coffee. She uses her cup to gesture towards where he could get his own, not looking up from the tablet in her hand. "Fresh coffee's in the pot." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He kisses the top of her head as he moves past her, pulling his favorite mug down out of the cabinets - and having someone who cares about where things go seems to have benefitted him, because he doesn't have to hunt his cups down and hope they aren't too hard to clean - and fixes his coffee. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When he sits next to her, their legs brushing, he grins over his cup at her, "What's the plan for today?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She rubs her head, "Well, the problem with being a security system creator is that if you do your job properly, not many people need you anymore. So I have two options to keep myself from going insane. Invent something new, which I do anyway, or join an agency as either an agent or as a tech specialist."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"What's the plan?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"ODIN and ISIS both have offers for me. Logically, I should be part of ODIN," she sips her coffee. "Their benefits package is significantly higher and honestly a lot more secure. However, there's no opportunity for work sex if I do. Plus it isn't about the money, so."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Why isn't it about the money?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She sips her coffee, gold eyes glancing up at him, "Do you know the Tunts?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Er, yes?" He didn't want to mention that he had been Cheryl's lover at one point.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Callahans are a step or so dowm from that. A little more secure, since we have a very strict line of inheritance, and we all get trust funds once we turn 21, which are refilled periodically. If the money isn't used, it stacks. Given that I've been living off the money that I've made from my inventions and contracts, I've not needed any of the money that's rightfully mine." She shrugs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"How-?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"A couple hundred million, most likely."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He blinks, suddenly winded. "Need to sign a pre-nup."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I don't want anyone to ever say I was with you for the money."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She stares at him for a second, "We're bonded. Kinda sorta past the marriage point."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I- well. True."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I'm not worried." She downs the rest of her coffee, "Would you be uncomfortable with me choosing ISIS?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krieger blinks at her, "Why would I be uncomfortable?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Uh, considering that it's your workplace? I didn't wanna become a conflict of interest."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You're the only conflict that interests me. Don't worry so much." He squeezes her hand and raises it up to brush his lips across her knuckles. "If anything, you'll make me want to work harder."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"What, so you can impress me?" At his nod, she rolls her eyes, "I'm already fucking impressed."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Doesn't matter. Alpha brain says 'impress the omega, gotta make her want to stay' even though I say that if you haven't run for the hills screaming by now, I'm pretty sure you're in it for the long haul." He shrugs, "Instincts are weird."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Very."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>---</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Might expand on this if it garners interest. Who knows. Not me. Words just be like that I suppose?</p>
<p>...I'm not apologizing.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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